Rahel's Friends

Date : 11 May 2012

GENEVA – The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria concluded its 26th Meeting today with broad agreement to direct more than $1.6 billion in available funding into effective programs that save lives, accelerating implementation of the Board’s ambitious strategy.

Global Fund staff, with guidance from Board committees, will start to put into practice a new continuous method of evaluating and deciding on grant proposals, in consultation with implementing countries, aligned with the Global Fund’s 2012-2016 Strategy of ensuring better targeted investment and maximum effectiveness.

“We’re excited that we can get to work on this right away,” said Todd Summers, chair of the Board’s Strategy Investment and Impact Committee. “But I remind everyone that we need a lot more money than is currently pledged just to sustain current efforts. While we’re heading in the right direction, there still is a long way to go to meet the real need.”

The Board agreed to consider new funding opportunities at its next meeting in September, 2012, thereby allowing funding decisions to be taken at a later date.

“This was an extremely useful Board meeting for the revitalization of the Global Fund,” said Masaki Noke, a Board member who represents Japan, one of the Global Fund’s largest donors. “The reorganization of the Fund is on track. Its financial situation is improving, though modestly. We are eager to move forward.  Japan has renewed its commitment to the Global Fund by deciding to make its largest annual contribution ever in 2012, despite the unprecedented earthquake in Japan on March 11, 2011.”

The Board was given a detailed briefing on the methodology that produced a financial forecast of $1.6 billion for the period of 2012-14. A large portion of that – up to $616 million – has already been earmarked to support expiring programs that need more funding to meet the demand for services. The funding will be put to work in the coming months once requests for grants are cleared by a technical review panel, and approved by the Board. 

Overall, the new forecast is a result of strategic decisions made by the Board, adopting a plan to transform the Global Fund that has significantly improved financial supervision and overall efficiency. New contributions, accelerated contributions, and choices by some implementing countries to forgo some funds in favor of low income nations, all contributed to the new forecast. Global Fund staff cautioned that the forecast is subject to fluctuation and is likely to change as it is tested in the coming months.

Gabriel Jaramillo, who became General Manager in February 2012, reported to the Board on the reorganization that has focused on the core business of grant management by significantly increasing the number of staff working in that area while streamlining staffing in supporting departments and taking significant steps to improve management.

In addition, the Board directed that Global Fund staff will continue to work closely with civil society, as implementation choices are considered. The role of civil society, Mr. Jaramillo also said, remains a central part of the Global Fund’s process of identifying the areas where services are most seriously needed and implementing grants for maximum effect.

“Civil society is in our DNA,” said Mr. Jaramillo. “We cannot work separately from our partners in civil society.”

The Board also decided to launch a process of selecting the next Executive Director, and will consider a short list of up to four candidates, of which at least two will be women.

*****

The Global Fund is a unique, public-private partnership and international financing institution dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents an innovative approach to international health financing. The Global Fund’s model is based on the concepts of country ownership and performance-based funding, which means that people in countries implement their own programs based on their priorities and the Global Fund provides financing on the condition that verifiable results are achieved.

Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the main financier of programs to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, with approved funding of US$ 22.6 billion for more than 1,000 programs in 150 countries (as of 1 December 2011). To date, programs supported by the Global Fund are providing AIDS treatment for 3.3 million people, anti-tuberculosis treatment for 8.6 million people and 230 million insecticide-treated nets for the prevention of malaria. The Global Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts in dealing with the three diseases.

For more information, please contact:

ANDREW HURST
Media Relations Manager
Mobile: +41 79 561 6807
E-mail: andrew.hurst@theglobalfund.org

The Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) is an informal network of over 40 governmental, non-governmental, international, private organizations, research institutions and universities which aims to implement the recommendations of the WHO World report on violence and health.

VPA participants inform public health approach that targets the risk factors for violence and promotes multi-sectorial cooperation.  VPA supports capacity development particularly in the area of individual and institutional resources, and contributes to setting the global violence prevention research agenda and bridging the gaps between research and violence prevention programming.

GYCA, now a formal participant in the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) will empower young leaders with knowledge, skills, resources and opportunities to engage with the global community in raising awareness about the problem of violence, highlighting the crucial role that public health can play in addressing violence as a cause as well as a consequence of HIV/AIDS among young people and in particular girls and young women.  Through our global network we intend to encourage prevention at every level of society while stimulating a coordinated international response in all our12 regions.

The GYCA Regional Focal Point for East Africa - Ms Yvonne Akoth is the GYCA representative on the Alliance. 

From the 5th to the 7th of July the East African and Indian Ocean Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM) of Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, met in Crown Plaza Hotel, Nairobi for a regional Workshop that aimed to present the new Global Fund strategies and its impacts in their grants lifecycles and the responsibilities of the CCMs. The workshop was attended by Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean National Focal Points. Ibrahim from Comoros, Enoch from Uganda and Guffran from Mauritius represented youth in the region in this CCM workshop and were later joined by Job from Kenya and East African Regional Focal Point Yvonne.

The 3 day workshop was organized by the Global Funds CCM Team to discuss about issues and new guidelines of eligibility concerning grants of Global Fund, amongst others.

Objectives of the workshop were:

• Provide guidance on, and discuss the CCMs role throughout the grant life cycle.
• Introduce the New CCM Guidelines approved by the Global Fund Board in May 2011.
• Strengthen CCM understanding of oversight.
• Strengthen processes to effectively mobilize country stakeholders, in particular Non-Governmental sectors participation in the CCMs (including civil society and private constituencies).
• Exchange country experiences and promote good practices of CCMs within the region.
• Scope out possible implications on future CCM work through dialogue with the CCM members about Global Funds new strategic framework, reform agenda, grant architecture, CCM Funding, CCM performance and other recent developments.
• Enhance compliance with the Global Fund Board requirements.
• Define priority areas for CCM technical support.

GYCAs East African and Indian Ocean National Focal Points and Regional Focal Point later met to deliberate on strengthening GYCA’s initiatives in the region and their involvement in decision-making and participation in the Country Coordinating Mechanism of their respective countries.

From the 5th to the 7th of July the East African and Indian Ocean Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM) of Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, met in Crown Plaza Hotel, Nairobi for a regional Workshop that aimed to present the new Global Fund strategies and its impacts in their grants lifecycles and the responsibilities of the CCMs. The workshop was attended by Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean National Focal Points. Ibrahim from Comoros, Enoch from Uganda and Guffran from Mauritius represented youth in the region in this CCM workshop and were later joined by Job from Kenya and East African Regional Focal Point Yvonne.

The 3 day workshop was organized by the Global Funds CCM Team to discuss about issues and new guidelines of eligibility concerning grants of Global Fund, amongst others.

Objectives of the workshop were:

• Provide guidance on, and discuss the CCMs role throughout the grant life cycle.
• Introduce the New CCM Guidelines approved by the Global Fund Board in May 2011.
• Strengthen CCM understanding of oversight.
• Strengthen processes to effectively mobilize country stakeholders, in particular Non-Governmental sectors participation in the CCMs (including civil society and private constituencies).
• Exchange country experiences and promote good practices of CCMs within the region.
• Scope out possible implications on future CCM work through dialogue with the CCM members about Global Funds new strategic framework, reform agenda, grant architecture, CCM Funding, CCM performance and other recent developments.
• Enhance compliance with the Global Fund Board requirements.
• Define priority areas for CCM technical support.

GYCAs East African and Indian Ocean National Focal Points and Regional Focal Point later met to deliberate on strengthening GYCA’s initiatives in the region and their involvement in decision-making and participation in the Country Coordinating Mechanism of their respective countries.

From the 5th to the 7th of July the East African and Indian Ocean Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM) of Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, met in Crown Plaza Hotel, Nairobi for a regional Workshop that aimed to present the new Global Fund strategies and its impacts in their grants lifecycles and the responsibilities of the CCMs. The workshop was attended by Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean National Focal Points. Ibrahim from Comoros, Enoch from Uganda and Guffran from Mauritius represented youth in the region in this CCM workshop and were later joined by Job from Kenya and East African Regional Focal Point Yvonne.

The 3 day workshop was organized by the Global Funds CCM Team to discuss about issues and new guidelines of eligibility concerning grants of Global Fund, amongst others.

Objectives of the workshop were:

• Provide guidance on, and discuss the CCMs role throughout the grant life cycle.
• Introduce the New CCM Guidelines approved by the Global Fund Board in May 2011.
• Strengthen CCM understanding of oversight.
• Strengthen processes to effectively mobilize country stakeholders, in particular Non-Governmental sectors participation in the CCMs (including civil society and private constituencies).
• Exchange country experiences and promote good practices of CCMs within the region.
• Scope out possible implications on future CCM work through dialogue with the CCM members about Global Funds new strategic framework, reform agenda, grant architecture, CCM Funding, CCM performance and other recent developments.
• Enhance compliance with the Global Fund Board requirements.
• Define priority areas for CCM technical support.

GYCAs East African and Indian Ocean National Focal Points and Regional Focal Point later met to deliberate on strengthening GYCA’s initiatives in the region and their involvement in decision-making and participation in the Country Coordinating Mechanism of their respective countries.

From the 5th to the 7th of July the East African and Indian Ocean Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM) of Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, met in Crown Plaza Hotel, Nairobi for a regional Workshop that aimed to present the new Global Fund strategies and its impacts in their grants lifecycles and the responsibilities of the CCMs. The workshop was attended by Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean National Focal Points. Ibrahim from Comoros, Enoch from Uganda and Guffran from Mauritius represented youth in the region in this CCM workshop and were later joined by Job from Kenya and East African Regional Focal Point Yvonne.

The 3 day workshop was organized by the Global Funds CCM Team to discuss about issues and new guidelines of eligibility concerning grants of Global Fund, amongst others.

Objectives of the workshop were:

• Provide guidance on, and discuss the CCMs role throughout the grant life cycle.
• Introduce the New CCM Guidelines approved by the Global Fund Board in May 2011.
• Strengthen CCM understanding of oversight.
• Strengthen processes to effectively mobilize country stakeholders, in particular Non-Governmental sectors participation in the CCMs (including civil society and private constituencies).
• Exchange country experiences and promote good practices of CCMs within the region.
• Scope out possible implications on future CCM work through dialogue with the CCM members about Global Funds new strategic framework, reform agenda, grant architecture, CCM Funding, CCM performance and other recent developments.
• Enhance compliance with the Global Fund Board requirements.
• Define priority areas for CCM technical support.

GYCAs East African and Indian Ocean National Focal Points and Regional Focal Point later met to deliberate on strengthening GYCA’s initiatives in the region and their involvement in decision-making and participation in the Country Coordinating Mechanism of their respective countries.

(from June 10th, by Ricardo Baruch)

The High Level Meeting closes today – What’s next for young people? 
After 3 days of panels and discussions, today the High Level Meeting comes to an 
end. 10 years ago, leaders of the world endorsed the Declaration of Commitment 
and today, a Political Declaration that is far from ideal will be endorsed by 
member states. The document was ready on the first day of the HLM so the 3 days 
of the meeting focused more on having high level discussions and panels to 
discuss issues related to funding, new interventions, leadership among other 
issues. 

The Youth panel took place yesterday with the participation of Dr. Babatunde 
Osetimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, the Crown Princess  Mette-Marit, Erik 
Solheim, the Minister of Development from Norway, the Vice-minister of Health 
from Germany  and Michel Sidibé, ED of UNAIDS. Young activists such as Pablo 
Torres from Dance4Life, Gaj Gurung from Youth LEAD and Princess Nuru from Uganda 
Young Positives were able to make their points related to human rights, scaling 
up prevention and paying attention to most-at-risk-populations. The Ministers 
from Norway and Germany committed to keep supporting efforts led by young people 
and the UN officials also did the same. 

This afternoon young delegates will be meeting for the last time during the HLM 
to debrief and talk about next steps. Representatives from organizations such as 
ITPC, Youth Coalition, the HIV Young Leaders Fund, GYCA, Advocates for Youth, 
GNP+, the World AIDS Campaign, IPPF-WHR and Youth RISE have been meeting 
throughout the week to ensure that there is a feasible follow up plan that can 
be used at the national level to ensure that governments, agencies and youth 
organizations are hold accountable to their promises. 

The week comes to an end with a global call for Zero new infections, Zero deaths 
related to AIDS and Zero discrimination but also with a call for renewed 
commitment and leadership on the response to the epidemic. Don’t forget to visit 
www.unaids.org for more information, videos, pictures and documents. 

GYCA team

We have space for between 8 and 10 highly-committed GYCA members in Round 2 of GYCA's Political Advocacy e-course, scheduled to start on May 30th and end on July 22nd. GYCA members will take this course alongside MTV Staying Alive Foundation grantees.

If you would like to participate in this e-course, please visit our e-courses page (www.gyca.org/ecourses) to download the application by clicking on the "Political Advocacy" link in the middle of the page. Submit your application no later than Friday May 23rd by 10am EST. Please send your application via e-mail to advocacy@gyca.org.

Any submissions later than that time will not be considered. Accepted applicants will be informed no later than Friday May 27th, and should be prepared to begin the course on May 30th.

Please read the instructions carefully, and make sure you answer each question thoroughly. Because of the limited size of the course, applications that don't follow instructions will be disqualified automatically.

If you’ve submitted an application outside of this application period, please resubmit if you’d like to be considered for the e-course. Applications submitted before May 1st will NOT be considered, as the application period was not open.

Looking forward to reading your applications!